League Rules

1) Teams are to show up regardless of weather conditions unless prior arrangements have been made.  If the field is unplayable, the captains may cancel and report it to the division representative.  Games should be cancelled no earlier than 5pm.  Cancellations due to lack of players are not acceptable and will be considered a forfeit.  If a team forfeits 3 games, the rest of their season is voided.  All their remaining games will be scored as ties.  They will not be allowed to participate in the final tournament.  The link to the Port Coquitlam Field closures is on the website main page.

 

2) A team must list no less than ten (10) batters of which three (3) must be female.  Any time there are less than 3 females, the game is considered a forfeit.  Teams are permitted to play with nine (9) players, with the last spot scored as an auto out, providing the number of females remains intact.  You can NOT play with (2) females.  The maximum amount of batters in a lineup is 16.  No substitutions will be allowed.  No ½ games are permitted.

 

3) Players may register and play with only one team in the league for the playoffs and cannot play at all until they are added to a SPN roster.  A person may spare for another team as long as they are on a SPN roster within the league.

 

4) The scorebook and will be used to prove eligibility should a challenge arise.  All players must have their first name and last initial put down in the scorebook, ie Troy T. No nicknames are allowed.  Coaches must sign the other team’s scorebook after each game.  The score should be checked prior to the start of the 7th inning to ensure it is correct.  Both teams should report the score to the division rep but the winning team MUST.

 

5) To be eligible for the final tournament males must play a minimum of five (5) games and females must play a minimum of four (4) games.

 

6) Home team sets up the field.  Bases are at 65 feet, commitment line at 20 feet towards 3rd base and pitching line at 50 feet.  Please use a tape measure if the field is not marked.  1st base must be the larger “safety base” with the orange side in foul territory.  Home plate will be a wood board measuring 3’x2’ and cover any existing plate.  If a batted ball hits home plate, it is considered a foul ball and the play is dead.   Home team is also responsible for bringing the balls.

 

7) Games will be seven (7) innings in total with a maximum of five (5) runs scored each inning, excluding the 7th inning, which will be considered “open”.  Games tied at the end of 7 innings will not be played out except for tournament knock out games, in which international rules apply.

 

8) Team captains are responsible for their players, both on and off the field including fans and supporters.  Abuse, physical and/or verbal will NOT be tolerated.  Result:  Team will be put on probation for the remainder of the season, including the tournament PLUS all of the following season.  Should there be a 2nd offence, the team will be removed from league play.  All of their wins will become ties as well as any remaining games to be played.  Individual players will be subject of a disciplinary review by the executive.

 

9) All participating players, on the field or in the dugout, are required to wear a shirt/jersey.  Failing to adhere, the player will be removed from play and if it results in the team being unable to field enough players, the game will become a forfeit.

 

10)  Pitches will be in an arc of 6’ to 12' pitched from a distance of 50’ to 60’ feet.  The pitcher may not be closer/further than outlined.  Result:  If the pitcher is not within the 50’ to 60’ range, the pitch will be called a “ball” and the pitcher warned.  If there is a 2nd offence, the batter will be awarded 1st base and the pitcher removed from the mound (not the game). The new pitcher will be allowed three (3) warm up pitches.

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11) Four (4) balls without a strike thrown to a male batter with a female batter following will result in two (2) bases awarded and all other runners will advance accordingly.  The female batter WILL still hit.  This also applies to intentional walks.  The team captain may call for an intentional walk to any batter.  No pitches are needed. 

 

12) No defensive player may be closer than 50’ prior to contact of the pitch.  Result: play will be called “dead” and the batter will be awarded 1st base with all forced runners advancing.

 

13) A five (5) person infield is not permitted.  All outfielders must be on the grass before contact is made.  The result is the same as Rule 12.

 

14) Female batters that successfully hit into the grass, whether the ball is hit in the air to the grass or on the ground, will be awarded 1st base.  All other runners are at risk.

 

15) There are no lead offs or anticipation.  Any runner leaving the base before contact is made will be called out.  If said runner is the 3rd out of the inning, the same batter will start the next inning.

 

16) The batter must make contact with at least one foot in line with the home plate board (must be “in the box”).  Any player that is in front of or behind the plate at contact will be called out and the play dead.  The batter may not step on home plate at time of contact.  This also will result in the batter being called out.  All runners will return to the base they started from.

 

17) Infield fly rule is in effect.  A fly ball hit to an infielder with runners on 1st and 2nd base OR with the bases loaded AND less than two (2) out.  The batter is called out with all other runners at risk.

 

18) Homeruns on fenced fields will be scored with the progressive “Plus 2” rule.  At Evergreen a ball hit into the trees or tennis court will be scored as a homerun.  Balls hit under the trees will be scored as a ground rule double.  Any more homeruns will count as an out.  At Cedar, any ball into the trees will be scored as a homerun but will not count towards the “Plus 2” rule.

 

19) A 2.5 strike rule is in effect, only 1 foul ball is permitted assuming 2 strikes have already been called. A subsequent strike after 2 called strikes is an out.  Only females are allowed to bunt.

 

20) You may substitute a pinch runner at any time for any reason.   However, they can only run once per game.  Males will only run for males, females for anyone.  This will be noted in the scorebook with an asterisk (*) by the pinch runner’s name.   Should a pinch runner be on base when it is their turn to bat, a new runner may be substituted with the same effect.  *Exception*: In the case of an injury, once all runners have been used, teams may start the process over.

 

21) All batters on the scorecard must play one (1) inning defensively.

 

22)  Runners cannot touch home plate or they will be called out.  Any runner crossing the 20’ commitment line must advance home; otherwise they will be called out going back to 3rd base.  Tagging a runner is not necessary but is allowed.  The runner must not initiate contact with the catcher, deliberately or accidentally, or they will be called out.

 

23) No steal cleats allowed.  All bats must meet SPN legal bat criteria.

 

24) Music at games must be appropriate (radio edit if necessary) and at a respectable volume.  There is no smoking allowed at the fields.

 

25) Any rule not covered in the league specific rules as outlined above will be subject to the SPN official guidelines.